The Irish Diaspora: Where Else to Sell Beer on St Patrick’s Day

Where there’s Irish there’s beer. And when it’s St Patrick’s Day the celebrated beverage is dyed green. Did you know that there are 80 million people around the globe who identify themselves as Irish? And only 4.7 million of them live in Ireland! St. Patrick’s Day is one the most widespread holidays in the world and beer is essential for the celebrations. Gudied by the trails of the Irish diaspora we created a global market overview of beer sales on March 17th.

From New Zealand to Argentine – You’ll Find an Irish Somewhere

The Irish diaspora is one of the world’s largest and most well known of its kind. We are not just talking about Irish citizens living abroad, but all those of Irish descent. Millions of people around the world identify themselves as Irish. Due to their ancestry they share the cultural identity and heritage of the country.

The chart below shows countries with the largest population of Irish heritage:

Being Irish + Beer Drinking = Contagious

It’s no surprise that US and Great Britain top the chart. Due to strong political, economic and social ties migrations from the Irish to the British isle have been constant throughout history. Today it is estimated that around 10% of UK’s population has one Irish-born grandparent. The Irish started to emigrate to the North America’s already in mid 17th century. The popularity of St Patty’s in US accounts for beer sales reaching $250 million in 2016.

But which are other potentially grossing beer markets on March 17th? The popularity of St Patrick’s Day has gone beyond celebrating Irish heritage. Event organizers, restaurant and pub owners are taking the opportunity to throw a good party and increase sales. We picked a couple of countries to widen the horizons of beer retailers.

Painting Things Green Down Bellow

Up to 30% of Australia’s population is of Irish ancestry to some degree. The first batch of Irish convicts shipped to Australia followed after the Irish Rebellion in 1798. In the 19th century the poorest members of Irish society emigrated voluntary as part of the British colonial scheme.

Today Australia’s Irish community is one of the strongest in the world. Records of organizing big parades for St Patrick’s Day go back to the early 20th century. Today, big cities like Melbourne organize a batch of drinking, social and music events in pubs, squares and other public places.

Due to mass migrations between the years of 1840 – 1914, 600.000 New Zealanders are of Irish descent. Some Irish enthusiasts join the Global Greening Initiative. A notable action among #GoGreen4PatricksDay was last year when locals in the town of New Brighton painted their pier green. On March 17th the Irish Consulate NZ (@irlnz1) organizes a celebratory reception:

A Parade Plus a Late-night Argentine Fiesta

Argentina is the home of the 5th largest Irish community. Many notable Argentine figures are of Irish descent. Che Guevara’s revolutionary temperament was due to the blood of Irish rebels running through his veins.

On March 17th Buenos Aires becomes a good targeting market for beer retailers. The Irish community annually organizes a St. Patrick’s Day parade passing through downtown. After that there’s live music and dance performances featuring Irish-sounding rock groups. Typical for Latin American, festivities continue long into to night on the streets. Check the video to see how St Patrick’s or as locals say – San Patricio looks like in Argentina:

An Irish Raffle in South Africa?

The Irish diaspora in the South African Republic constitutes 1% of the population. But there’s something enchanting when you mix the African and Irish way of life. The country is a popular tourist destination. Many have seized the opportunity to rediscover Irish traditions and offer it as part of local tourism. On St Patrick’s day hotel, restaurant and pub owners in Cape Town organize special tourist events and offers to attract business.

The Irish South African Association maintains ties with the mother land and people of Irish descent. On March 17th the association organizes special dinner and social events. Check out bellow what’s happening this year. Don’t worry, a raffle with great prizes won’t be forgotten about.

Epicurean Beer-tastings in Canada

Another major Irish diaspora is found in Canada. In Quebeck City and Ottawa several day lasting festivities are organized around St Patty’s day. Apart from parades, concerts and dance events festivals also includes beer tastings and sports. The Irish Festival in Ottawa starts a week before and ends on March 17th, always including a Ottawa Senators hockey game.

The Irish and the French Canadians share a 150-year history. Its started when Irish immigrants arrived in Quebec City during the potato famine. Adding a bit of French flair the local St. Patrick’s Day festival is called Festibière de Québec fête la Saint-Patrick. It’s a three day celebration of Irish heritage, but most importantly – beer. Around twenty microbreweries showcase at the Pavillon du Commerce (ExpoCité) for beer tastings.